


Round Two

by NobodyOfficial



Category: dcu comics, justice league international
Genre: Body Positivity, Boxing, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nobody fucking dies AU, fatphobia, i don't even know it's so late I'll probably edit this properly in a few weeks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 16:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13528011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NobodyOfficial/pseuds/NobodyOfficial
Summary: Ted wants to prove once and for all that he can kick Guy Gardner's ass at boxing.





	Round Two

**Author's Note:**

> This is super rushed I'm so sorry I'll edit it at some point I'm sure!

The gym was silent and ghostly. A thin shaft of light illuminated the cluster of machinery as Ted pushed the door open. He slipped inside, sticking to the shadows and padding softly across the linoleum floor. His breathing was shallow, hands balled into fists, eyes narrowed; he was ready for a fight.

"Uh, mister Kord? Can't we just turn a light on?"

Ted turned to look at Jaime, stood in the doorway with his finger hovering over the light switch. "Sure," Ted sighed. "Nobody wants to be dramatic anymore." He crossed to the back of the room and dumped his bag on the edge of the boxing ring, then started to change into 'stripper shorts', as Michael called them, and a tank top. Jaime followed cautiously.

"Do you mind telling me what we're doing now? What am I learning here?" He asked, examining some heavy-duty boxing gloves.

"You're learning how to kick a bully's ass," Ted said proudly, readjusting the shorts so they covered at least part of his thighs.

"I thought that's what I've been learning all the time."

"Well yeah, kind of, but this is more a specific kind of lesson." Ted ran his fingers thought his hair, pushing it back into a sort-of quiff. "This is how to respectfully beat the shit out of a fatphobe."

"Oh, ok." Jaime settled himself down on a bench and watched Ted intently. "Wait, what are we doing?"

Ted sighed. "A while ago this guy tried to beat me up 'cause I'm fat so we had a boxing match and I totally kicked his ass so he cheated. He'll never admit that I won and it bugs me. So I challenged him to a rematch, now that I've got a proper job, and better mental health, and a cool apprentice, and a sweet boyfriend. Who should be here, by the way." He looked to the doors expectantly, but nothing happened.

"That's cool, Mr Kord," Jaime smiled. The doors slammed open.

"Oh my God, that's such bad timing," Ted whispered. "I gave him the perfect opportunity to do that like a sentence ago."

Guy Gardner, complete with unattractive bowl cut and obnoxious green shorts, swaggered in. He sneered at Ted who gave a cheery wave in return, instantly killing the mood. "Don't give me that shit, Beetle," Guy snapped. Jaime started at the mention of his title. "Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that. They retired you because... why? You're too immature? Too annoying?" A malicious spark lit his eyes. "Too fat?"

"Actually," Ted was utterly nonplussed, "It's because I got shot in the chest." He patted his chest proudly. "And survived! Wrecked havoc with my heart condition though." For some reason he smiled manically as he said that.

Guy pulled a face in disgust. "You have a heart conduction now? That's just sad."

"I've always had a heart condition, now I'm just treating it." Ted climbed into the ring, holding the ropes back for Guy. He grunted and clambered through a different part of the ropes.

"Hey Jaime, you can referee, right?" Ted called down.

Jaime shrugged. "Two minute rounds, a point per clean hit?"

"Good enough," Ted said, squaring up in his corner of the ring. "You ready, loser?"

Guy scowled as he struggled to fasten his own glove straps. "There's only one loser here."

"Ooh, edgy," Ted giggled. "You ready to go?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ted would've taken it as concern if Guy's tone hadn't been so venomous. "If anything you're even fatter than last time." Guy didn't pull his punches, literally and figuratively.

"Yeah, but this is happy weight," Ted told him, resting his boxing gloves on his hips and glancing critically at his waistline. "I'm just kind of built like this. Last time my mental health had gone to shit and I was eating all sorts of junk all the time. I guess my boyfriend is way too nice to me and it has just been Hanukkah and Christmas so I have a load of winter weight I'm... never gonna lose, but-"

"Shut up!" Guy exclaimed hurriedly. "Stop talking! Just go, fight, I don't want to hear anything else about your domestic life."

"Alright." Ted barely gave Guy time to square up in the centre of the ring before delivering a smashing right hook to the side of his head. The gloves took away the sting of the impact but the hit still knocked Guy off balance, making his vision fuzzy for a moment. He gritted his teeth and took a couple of breaths to clear his head. Ted wasn't cruel; he'd give him time before attacking again.

Guy raised his head again and Ted advanced, guard close to his chest and knees bent. He'd always had a much more secure fighting stance than Guy, who stood tall in an attempt to intimidate his opponent and held his guard out in front of him like people did in the movies.

Guy swung a lazy hook which Ted easily sidestepped, countering with two sharp jabs. Guy blocked them then rammed up uppercut straight into Ted's abdomen. "Shit," he gasped, momentarily winded. "That was good."

"Surprised you could feel it through all that padding," Guy grinned as circled Ted.

"Actually, my pain receptors are in all the same places as yours, it still hurts." Ted feigned a head shot then slammed a cross into Guy's ribs. "And stretch marks are kind of sensitive, in an achy way. If anything it hurts more."

"Stretch marks?" Guy missed an easy shot to Ted's head and got clipped on the shoulder. "What are you, a teenage girl?"

"No, but I was a teenage boy once and I was chubby and had growth spurts and got stretch marks. Y'know, like a normal human being."

Ted threw a couple of easy shots that Guy blocked. He blocked a jab so low it probably would've been disqualified in an actual match, then returned with a lighting-paged cross to the forehead. Guy's head jerked back just as Jaime yelled, "Time!"

Ted stepped back to lean against the ropes, controlling his breathing so Guy couldn't tell he was tired. It was mostly the adrenaline coursing through his veins that made his heart race, but Guy wouldn't view it that way. He was stood perfectly straight in his own corner, face placid and deceptively calm. Ted wanted to whip his gloves off and break his nose.

"Hey, hey!" The doors opened and Michael rushed in. "Sorry, did I miss it?" A T-shirt was the only thing covering his suit, so his legs were still clad in skin-tight gold.

"Only one round," Ted said, leaning over the side of the ring to kiss his boyfriend. "I was awesome, by the way."

"He was," Jaime confirmed.

"Urgh, this is disgusting," Guy snarled. "We get it, you like chubby guys, now go sit down so I can win this."

Michael stood on the edge of the boxing ring, towering above Guy who had the decency to look intimidated. "I don't like that you're implying that I only Ted 'cause he's chubby, and I don't like that you're implying that that's a bad thing. So unless you want one of those weights-" He gestured to a small pile on the other side of the gym, "Stuffed up your ass, I suggest you shut up." He did.

Michael kissed Ted on the cheek and told him to, "Knock 'im dead," then jumped off the ring to allow round two to commence.

Ted dove straight in with an assault of blows to the chest, several of them connecting. Guy got him back with a dizzying hook to the temple. It was clear that Ted was the more skilled fighter, but Guy took dirty shots and drove each of his punches through. By three quarters through Ted was reeling, but managing to keep on his feet.

Guy hit him hard in the chest and he stumbled, starting to fall down. He'd definitely lose now. He relaxed and prepared to hit the floor hard.

"Time!" Jaime yelled.

Ted landed on his back, chest heaving. He was about to take his first proper breath of air when something slammed into his stomach. He winced and began to curl up, only to receive another blow.

"Hey! Time!" Jaime called again.

Guy delivered another stinging blow to Ted's waist.

"Time, you fucking cheat," Michael growled, slipped between the ropes and grabbed a handful of sweaty tank top, yanking Guy backwards. "Isn't that why you got kicked out of the League?" He hissed. Dropping Guy like he would a wrapper into a trash can, Michael knelt beside Ted. "You ok?" He asked softly.

"Eh," Ted groaned. "Kinda queasy. Not bad." Michael helped him up and swayed a little.

"You don't have to carry on, you have nothing to prove to this cheater," Michael said softly. He let Ted nestle his sweaty forehead into his shoulder.

"I'm ok. I've got this," Ted murmured. Forcing himself upright he signalled for Michael to exit the ring. "We're gonna finish this right now."

"Now?" Guy was equally as run down as Ted, but his face showed only grim determination.  
Jaime started the timer. Ted coiled his arm against his chest. He assessed the distance. Stepped carefully forward. Unwound his arm and drove his fist hard into the side of Guy's head. He crumpled like an accordion.

"One punch!" Ted gasped. "I'm Batman!"

"That's my boyfriend!" Michael crowed proudly, jumping into the ring and hugging Ted from behind.

"That's my mentor," Jaime beamed.

Michael kissed Ted softly on the neck and very lightly hugged his waist. "How d'you feel? Are you ok?"

"A bit like I'm going to throw up and like my brain's trying to melt from my skull," Ted said, leaning heavily against Michael.

"Don't worry, I'll look after you," Michael murmured.

"No, I don't need your help." Ted stood on his own, then quickly leant back against Michael as a tide of nausea washed over him. "Never mind, you can look after me."

"I will," Michael smiled. "You need some cold water and some sleep, come on." He helped Ted down from the ring and picked up his bags. "I like your booty shorts, by the way."

"Shut up," Ted giggled.

"They're cute. Your thighs are all nice and soft and your calves are insanely toned and it looks good."

Jaime followed behind them, pretending he wasn't hearing this conversation. "Umm, what are we going to do with that guy?" He asked pointing to Guy, who was just coming to in the ring.

"Leave him," Michael shrugged. "He's a dick, he can get himself home." He turned to Ted, who he had an arm around even though his dizziness had completely subsided. "Don't feel like you have to prove yourself to angry, jealous, misinformed people like that. You're intelligent and attractive and strong, he can't make you think otherwise."

"Oh, I know that," Ted said cheerily. "But now I'm intelligent and attractive and strong and I can kick Guy Gardner's ass!"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
